Commutes take a toll on the heart

Do you have a bearish ride home from work? Well, here’s yet another drawback to the aggravation you feel being trapped in your car: According to a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, whichlooked at almost 4,300 Texas city workers, the longer you’re behind the wheel during your commute, the worse your heart health. Waistlines expanded, exercise routines disappeared, and with these bad habits came higher blood pressure and excess pounds.

However, even for those who did exercise, these heart disease risk factors didn’t disappear, which means there’s probably something to the commute itself that’s harming hearts. Researchers hypothesize that it could be that long-distance drivers are burning fewer calories overall and stress could be taking a toll. Researchers suggest finding other ways to add activity to your day, so don’t hesitate to bring a pair of walking shoes to work and hit the sidewalks during your lunch break.